Amit Kumar, an IIT Delhi and MIT Sloan alumnus, made a bold move in 2023, leaving his high-paying position as Vice President of Product Development at Meta in California to return to his home state of Bihar, India. His vision was ambitious: to transform Bihar's startup landscape and prove that the state could be a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, not just agriculture and manufacturing.
Kumar's plan involved creating opportunities for young founders, mentoring them, and connecting them with investors and product leaders from Silicon Valley. He even secured ₹130 crore in pre-seed capital from global investors to support early-stage ventures. Before Meta, Kumar held leadership roles at Google and Amazon, bringing a wealth of experience in product development and global strategy to his endeavor.
However, the reality on the ground proved to be far more challenging than anticipated. Despite his efforts and initial funding, Kumar struggled to make significant progress. In a LinkedIn post that has since gone viral, Kumar expressed his disappointment, stating that he encountered "more self-interest than collaboration, more promises than actions, and more manipulation than professionalism". He noted that bureaucratic obstacles, a lack of ecosystem support, and resistance to transparent business practices hindered his ability to execute his plans effectively. According to Kumar, the issues stemmed not from a shortage of ideas or funding, but rather from a "lack of integrity, transparency, and accountability in many local interactions".
Reflecting on his experience, Kumar admitted that his emotional connection to his home state may have clouded his judgment. He acknowledged not following strict processes, which ultimately contributed to the difficulties he faced. After two years of trying to build a thriving startup ecosystem in Bihar, Kumar was forced to quit.
His story serves as a cautionary tale for those seeking to replicate Silicon Valley's success in different cultural and economic environments. While passion, funding, and expertise are essential, they are not always sufficient to overcome systemic challenges and deeply entrenched practices. Overcoming bureaucratic hurdles and fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration are critical for building a successful startup ecosystem.
Other Indian tech professionals have faced similar challenges in their entrepreneurial journeys. Shakti Mani Tripathi, a Bengaluru-based techie, left a ₹1 crore job at Amazon to launch his own AI startup, Hoobahoo AI, in 2024. Despite gaining initial traction with 3,000 users in just three weeks, the startup failed to raise funds from over 30 venture capitalists and was ultimately shut down due to high customer acquisition costs and a lack of funding. Tripathi's experience highlights the difficulties in securing funding and scaling a startup, even with a promising product. He is currently the co-founder and CTO of Reflecc, an AI-powered business automation tool.
